Double Battle Axe IPA
Kelsen Brewing Company
- From:
- Kelsen Brewing Company
- New Hampshire, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
- ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 13.66%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 20
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Apr 26, 2020
- Added:
- Jun 18, 2014
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 21
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
This beer uses a “damn the cost” approach to recipe design. We use over 6 lbs of hops per BBL with a majority of those hops being used in late whirlpool additions and dry hopping. Following our steadfast commitment to drinkability in our beers, the abundance of hops produces a significant citrusy aroma and creates a unique “hop nectar” flavor that will surely satisfy the Imperial IPA aficionado. This beer also has a very light, dry malt profile that allows the intense hop flavors to explode from the glass.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.77/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Can to tulip.
The appearance was a fairly clear ruddy burnt yellow to orange golden color with a small cap of a white foamy head. Left a ton of messy lace roaming around my glass, spider webbing all around.
The aroma had some honey sweetness rolling into some tobacco to floral to earthy hoppiness but somewhat in a muted way with some grassiness. A small whiff of dank and onion components.
The flavor meshed all of the previously mentioned aromas together in a sweet to danky way, some oniony to earthy hop tones. Aftertaste of danky earthiness with some tobacco leaf and honey coated grassiness.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Pretty good carbonation. Fairly easy going along my tongue. Finishes with honey sweetness, tobacco leaf and some onion.
Overall, it's a pretty good DIPA, perhaps again if offered but might not necessarily be one I "need" to seek out.
Feb 19, 2020The appearance was a fairly clear ruddy burnt yellow to orange golden color with a small cap of a white foamy head. Left a ton of messy lace roaming around my glass, spider webbing all around.
The aroma had some honey sweetness rolling into some tobacco to floral to earthy hoppiness but somewhat in a muted way with some grassiness. A small whiff of dank and onion components.
The flavor meshed all of the previously mentioned aromas together in a sweet to danky way, some oniony to earthy hop tones. Aftertaste of danky earthiness with some tobacco leaf and honey coated grassiness.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Pretty good carbonation. Fairly easy going along my tongue. Finishes with honey sweetness, tobacco leaf and some onion.
Overall, it's a pretty good DIPA, perhaps again if offered but might not necessarily be one I "need" to seek out.
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts
3.49/5 rDev -10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Had on tap. Pours clear, gold in color with 1/4 inch head. Taste is pine, alcohol, with underlying peach, toffee, and a touch of earth. Heavy bodied, slightly bitter with low carbonation. Flavors expand as the beer warms. Makes for a decent, above average DIPA. I prefer several others, but if you like Battle Axe this is well worth a try.
Aug 29, 2017
Reviewed by njcraftguy from New Jersey
4.35/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Another solid brew from Kelsen. I have family in NH and have been lucky enough to enjoy many great brews from Kelsen and Stoneface. Both excellent brewery's producing tasty brews and this is one of them. Smooth to drink - could drink many of these. Well done.
Feb 20, 2017
Rated by BigAl1011 from New Hampshire
4.47/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.47/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Definitely a full body brew. While kicking in the hopes flavor it is smooth and easy to drink.
Feb 12, 2017
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire
3.72/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.72/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the Thirsty Moose.
Hazy dark copper with minimal head and lacing. Pine and malt in the nose with some chipped toffee. On the slick side of medium bodied and a bit chewy. Sweet malt and piney hops on the palate. Finishes a bit sweet with pine-rubbed caramel.
I prefer a drier, more vibrantly hoppy IIPA.
May 09, 2016Hazy dark copper with minimal head and lacing. Pine and malt in the nose with some chipped toffee. On the slick side of medium bodied and a bit chewy. Sweet malt and piney hops on the palate. Finishes a bit sweet with pine-rubbed caramel.
I prefer a drier, more vibrantly hoppy IIPA.
Reviewed by braican from Massachusetts
3.47/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.47/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Poured from a 22oz bomber into a pint glass. No date on the bottle, but I purchased it about a month ago.
L: Pours a clear amber orange with a small head. Leaves decent lacing down the side.
S: Dank, earthy hop character. Sweet caramel, mango, some citrus. Aroma is probably my favorite part about this.
T: Starts out super bitter, but does mellow out a bit after a few sips. Taste doesn't really follow the smell; it's very sweet toffee and caramel up front but finishes with that huge resinous bitterness that I am not the biggest fan of. A bit vegetal and some grapefruit on the palate as well. The bitterness lingers for a bit. I'm not getting any alcohol flavor.
F: I would have expected a malty, sweet, 9% DIPA to be thick and syrupy. Not the case here; this beer is crazy smooth and very drinkable. Finishes fairly dry.
O: The more I drank, the more I enjoyed Double Battle Axe, but that'll happen with a 9% bomber. There were some very nice elements in the aroma and the feel of the beer; it was just a little bit unbalanced to that bitterness side for my taste. It was enjoyable enough, but I'm not sure that I would seek this out again.
Apr 01, 2016L: Pours a clear amber orange with a small head. Leaves decent lacing down the side.
S: Dank, earthy hop character. Sweet caramel, mango, some citrus. Aroma is probably my favorite part about this.
T: Starts out super bitter, but does mellow out a bit after a few sips. Taste doesn't really follow the smell; it's very sweet toffee and caramel up front but finishes with that huge resinous bitterness that I am not the biggest fan of. A bit vegetal and some grapefruit on the palate as well. The bitterness lingers for a bit. I'm not getting any alcohol flavor.
F: I would have expected a malty, sweet, 9% DIPA to be thick and syrupy. Not the case here; this beer is crazy smooth and very drinkable. Finishes fairly dry.
O: The more I drank, the more I enjoyed Double Battle Axe, but that'll happen with a 9% bomber. There were some very nice elements in the aroma and the feel of the beer; it was just a little bit unbalanced to that bitterness side for my taste. It was enjoyable enough, but I'm not sure that I would seek this out again.
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
3.98/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Many thanks to SawDog505 for this bottle!
A - Deep copper gold color with gentle carbonation and a moderately soapy, white lacing ring.
S - Nose is very weak and it's hard to pull anything out (wish I had more to offer here).
T - Spicy citrus and well balanced.
M - Medium body.
O - Very "East Coast" in character but the spicy character eventually builds and makes this IPA very enjoyable.
Mar 25, 2016A - Deep copper gold color with gentle carbonation and a moderately soapy, white lacing ring.
S - Nose is very weak and it's hard to pull anything out (wish I had more to offer here).
T - Spicy citrus and well balanced.
M - Medium body.
O - Very "East Coast" in character but the spicy character eventually builds and makes this IPA very enjoyable.
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